According to Greek authorities, nearly 2,500 people have been evacuated from Corfu on Monday. This comes after earlier statements from the UK’s Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell, who claimed that no evacuations were taking place on the island. A fire service spokesperson stated that around 2,400 visitors and locals were evacuated as a precaution. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that the country still faces three difficult days ahead before temperatures are expected to ease.
Meanwhile, up to 10,000 Britons are estimated to be on fire-ravaged Rhodes, with repatriation flights bringing holidaymakers back to the UK. Mitchell advised people to stay in touch with their tourist companies for guidance. Additionally, EU and Turkish firefighting planes have joined the effort in Rhodes, where the fires continue to rage. Firefighters are working tirelessly, battling to bring the situation under control.
In Algeria, wildfires have killed 15 people in the Bejaia and Bouira regions. The fires are part of a heatwave that is impacting north Africa and southern Europe. Firefighters are actively working to control the blazes.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached out to Prime Minister Mitsotakis to offer additional assistance and express full support. She highlighted the devastating forest fires and heavy heatwave gripping Greece.
Dr. Douglas Kelley, a land surface modeller at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, stated that it is too early to definitively say if climate change is the cause of these wildfires. However, the increasing number of severe wildfires worldwide, including those in Greece and Canada, indicates that climate change is playing a significant role. Heatwaves, like the one currently affecting Greece, are more likely due to climate change. The heat dries out vegetation and dead plant material, intensifying fires and causing them to spread rapidly. This, coupled with high winds, has made the fires in Rhodes particularly devastating.
There is a feedback loop where fires in carbon-rich ecosystems, such as forests, release substantial amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This exacerbates global warming and increases the risk of wildfires. Even with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, there will likely be more wildfire events by 2100 due to rising global temperatures.
Downing Street defended their decision not to discourage travel to Rhodes, stating they did not want to overreact to the situation. They have sent a small team from the Foreign Office to assist British tourists. The economic costs of wildfires are substantial and spread across the affected area. The pollution caused by wildfires can also have far-reaching effects on health, cognition, and productivity. Prevention measures, such as careful consideration of building locations, are crucial in mitigating future wildfire risks.
Climate scientist Sir David King emphasized that the Greek wildfires should serve as a warning to tourists planning trips to the Mediterranean. He stated that the climate crisis will likely fuel more severe wildfires in the future. King warned of the dangers of heat stress and attributed the extreme temperatures to melting Arctic ice caused by greenhouse gas emissions.